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Four local health officers among 19 new Covid-19 cases (nationthailand.com)

Four local health officers among 19 new Covid-19 cases

NationalDec 08. 2020

By The Nation

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Tuesday reported 19 new cases in quarantine facilities over a 24-hour period.

The new cases included four locally transmitted cases.

The overseas arrivals who tested positive included:

A Thai businesswoman, 38, who returned from Turkey on November 23; a Bulgarian businessman, 53, who arrived on November 27; a Thai female student, 24, who flew back from Morocco on December 1; a Thai man, 62, and a woman, 61, who returned from the United States on December 2; a Swiss tourist, 65, who arrived on December 2; a Danish tourist, 73, who arrived on December 2 after taking a connecting flight in the United Arab Emirates; a Thai female prisoner, 32, who returned on December 6 and was recognised as a re-active case on the day of arrival after her first infection occurred on November 23.

Six Thai women, aged 24-37, travelled back from Myanmar on December 2 and December 5. Each of them developed symptoms such as loss of sense of smell, muscle ache, diarrhoea, sore throat, fever, runny nose, etc. in local state quarantine. They were transported to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital.

A Thai woman, 21, who admitted to entering the country illegally on November 29 with a Ratchaburi woman, a current patient, was found positive in a private hospital on December 5 and brought to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital.

Four health officers, including a nurse, aged 25-40, who went to perform duties in an alternative state quarantine (ASQ) hotel and partnered private hospitals, tested positive on December 4-5 after suffering from fever and headache. As for this cluster, there are 280 close contacts (51 high-risk and 228 low-risk). All the high-risk close contacts have tested negative while results are awaited of the low-risk contacts.

The public health authority is now investigating flaws or the source of infection of this group because health officers working in ASQ usually test themselves every three days.

Meanwhile, six patients have recovered and been discharged.

The total number of confirmed cases in Thailand increased to 4,126 since the outbreak (1,139 in state quarantine), 192 are in hospital, 3,874 have recovered and been discharged and 60 have died.

According to Worldometer, as of 10am on Tuesday, the total number of confirmed cases had reached 67.93 million (up by 527,209), 47 million have recovered, 19.37 million are active cases (106,184 in severe condition) and 1.55 million have died (up by 8,105).

Thailand ranks 151st for most cases in the world, while the US has the most number with 15.36 million, followed by India 9.7 million, Brazil 6.63 million, Russia 2.49 million and France 2.3 million.

The Department of Disease Control (DDC) says the virus situation in Myanmar has reached worrying levels, and has sought cooperation to stop trespassing on the border. The DDC added that food service on planes have now been halted because of the risk of infection spreading from drinking or eating.

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Miss Thailand photoshoot turns dangerous (nationthailand.com)

Miss Thailand photoshoot turns dangerous

NationalDec 08. 2020

By The Nation

A harmless photoshoot in Chiang Mai became treacherous when a rope bridge carrying the 30 Miss Thailand beauties snapped under their weight.

The contestants had gathered at Pang Pao Beach Resort to record a video and had gathered on the rope bridge for some photographs.

However, the bridge snapped, landing the women in water. Two of them sustained scratches and one suffered a head wound.

Paramedics who were on standby rushed to treat them immediately.

The resort provided a compensation of Bt500,000 and promised not to let such an accident happen.

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Brexit discussions could guide baht’s direction (nationthailand.com)

Brexit discussions could guide baht’s direction

NationalDec 08. 2020

By THE NATION

The baht opened at 30.16 to the US dollar on Tuesday, weakening from the previous day’s 30.14.The Thai currency is likely to move between 30.10 and 30.30, said Jitipol Puksamatanan, senior director of the chief investment office at SCB Securities.On Monday night, the S&P 500 and Stoxx 600 indices fell by 0.2 and 0.3 per cent, respectively. The factors related to the stock index included the economic stimulus package to be launched in the future, Brexit, and the high Covid-19 infection rate that has already infected 67 million people globally.In the financial markets, the pound fluctuated the most. Its present rate of 1 pound per 1.33 US dollar was near its highest.Also, the US Ten-Year Treasury yield dropped by 5 basis points to 0.92 per cent.Meanwhile, the baht has strengthened despite moving in a narrow range.Jitipol advised investors to monitor the direction of Brexit discussions, which could strengthen the dollar at the end of this year.

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Three crocodiles spotted in Nakhon Si Thammarat amid floods (nationthailand.com)

Three crocodiles spotted in Nakhon Si Thammarat amid floods

NationalDec 08. 2020

By THE NATION

Three crocodiles were reportedly seen in Nakhon Si Thammarat during the current floods, the most severe in the province in 50 years.According to reports, locals spotted the crocodiles when they went for fishing in a water resource behind the Tha Pair municipal office. They were estimated to be 2.5 to 3 metres long. One crocodile reportedly tried to bite a local, but he luckily survived.Another local told reporters the reptile had been spotted on a grass field behind a rubber factory, which lies between Inkeree and Pak Poon subdistricts.Locals said the local authority had been informed. Officials from the fisheries office have been ordered to capture the beasts.

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Cold spell continues in upper Thailand with strong winds (nationthailand.com)

Cold spell continues in upper Thailand with strong winds

NationalDec 08. 2020

By THE NATION

A rather strong high-pressure system covers upper Thailand, causing cool to cold weather with strong winds. The upper westerly winds bring the cold from Myanmar to the North of Thailand, causing the temperature to drop 1-2 degrees Celsius, the Thailand Meteorological Department said on Tuesday.Mountaintops are cold to very cold with frost in some areas. People should watch their health due to the variable weather, the department said.Meanwhile, the moderate northeast monsoon prevails across the Gulf of Thailand and the South with isolated thundershowers. The moderate winds in the Gulf force waves up 1-2 metres high. All ships should proceed with caution, the department said.Forecast for 24 hours:Bangkok and surrounding areas: Cool morning; minimum temperature 21-23 degrees Celsius, maximum 31-34°C; northeasterly winds 10-25kph.North: Cool to cold and 1-2°C drop in temperature; minimum temperature 12-17°C, maximum 29-33°C; cold to very cold on mountaintops with frost in some places; minimum temperature 3-13°C; northeasterly winds 10-25kph.Northeast: Cool to cold with strong winds and 1-2°C drop in temperature; minimum temperature 12-17°, maximum 29-32 °C; Cold on the mountaintop: minimum temperature 7-13°C; northeasterly winds 15-30kph.Central: Cool morning with slight drop in temperature; minimum temperature 17-20°C, maximum 31-33°C; northeasterly winds 15-25kph.East: Cool morning with strong winds; minimum temperature 18-23°C, maximum 31-33°C; northeasterly winds 15-30kph; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres offshore.South (east coast): Partly cloudy with isolated thundershowers; minimum temperature 21-24°C, maximum 31-32°C; northeasterly winds 15-35kph; waves 1-2 metres high.South (west coast): Partly cloudy with isolated thundershowers; minimum temperature 22-24°C, maximum 32-33°C; northeasterly winds 15-35kph; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres high offshore.

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Prayut visits flood victims in South (nationthailand.com)

Prayut visits flood victims in South

NationalDec 07. 2020

By The Nation

The prime minister visited Nakhon Si Thammarat province on Monday to monitor severe flooding that has hit the South.

PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda oversaw delivery of relief items to about 800 locals at Baan Noen Thammang Arts and Crafts Centre in Chian Yai district.

Nakhon Si Thammarat has been suffering heavy monsoon rains and flooding since November 25. At least 21 deaths have been reported as flooding hit 919,003 people in 23 districts. About 4,216 houses are partially damaged while 29 have been destroyed.

Currently, 18 districts are still flooded, including 608 villages and 20 communities. Damage is being surveyed in five districts – Lan Saka, Noppitam, Sichon, Khanom and Phipu. Also still flooded is Chianyai District, affecting 97 villages and 21,900 people.

Local volunteers are delivering relief supplies to inundated districts and setting up portable kitchens.

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Gold fluctuate slightly over next fortnight, may drop in long term (nationthailand.com)

Gold fluctuate slightly over next fortnight, may drop in long term

NationalDec 07. 2020

By THE NATIONThe price of gold over the next two weeks is expected to fluctuate within a small range, while in the long term it will show a downward tendency, Gold Traders Association chairman Jitti Tangsitpakdee said on Monday.

“One of the factors that could affect the price of gold next year is the economic and international trade policies to be announced by the newly elected US president,” he said. “Traders should keep a close eye on international atmosphere starting as early as January.

“The gold price early this year was at Bt21,500 per baht weight, and then it gradually rose to the highest on August 7 at Bt30,400 per baht weight before falling again to Bt25,400 per baht weight in October,” he added. “The price as of this morning was Bt26,300, rising a little from last week, which is enough to attract investors and those prefer saving money in the form of gold.

“About 95 per cent of gold being sold this year are gold bars, while few have been buying gold ornaments,” added Jitti.

“Also, people have been selling off their gold jewellery as they need cash during this economic recession. This has resulted in gold shops suffering low profits as gold bars have a lower profit margin than gold ornaments.

“Gold shops need to be extra careful in cost management, as their profits are dropping while their fixed costs are still the same,” he said.

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Naïve temple art starts new trend on social media (nationthailand.com)

Naïve temple art starts new trend on social media

NationalDec 07. 2020Illustration credit: Kun-gee 

By THE NATION

Crudely made temple statues have recently become social-media sensations for their simplicity and ridiculousness, though some netizens wonder if they are the result of corruption.However, many have put these creatures down to unskilled monks or workmen trying their hand at sculpture.The beautifully modelled mythical creatures gracing Thai temples have always featured in photography, but now this “naïve art” has also become a subject of art, much to the confusion of resident monks.Temples attracting camera-toting tourists include Wat Chaiyaphum Karam in Ubon Ratchathani, Phra That Kham Kaen in Khon Kaen and Wat Mak Rangsarit in Nakhon Sawan.

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Miss Thailand beauties grace Lampang province (nationthailand.com)

Miss Thailand beauties grace Lampang province

NationalDec 07. 2020

By THE NATION

Miss Thailand contestants stopped off in Lampang province on Sunday as part of their publicity trip to the North.

There they visited the Mae Moh Mine Museum to learn how electricity arrived in Thailand and checked out a field of Mexican sunflowers nearby.

They also visited Wat Phra That Lampang Luang Temple and the Elephant Conservation Centre in Ko Kha district, where they checked out the elephant hospital and even helped out at feeding time.

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Revised motorway plan ‘to be ready for Cabinet approval by January’ (nationthailand.com)

Revised motorway plan ‘to be ready for Cabinet approval by January’

NationalDec 07. 2020

By THE NATION

The operation and maintenance (O&M) project of M6 Motorway (Bangpa-In – Nakhon Ratchasima) for a distance of 196 kilometres, and the M9 Motorway (Bangyai – Kanchanaburi) for a distance of 96km are currently undergoing plan adjustment, the Department of Highways said.

The department’s director-general, Sarawut Songwilai, said the updated plans would be submitted to the Cabinet by January 2021.

“The reasons we need to adjust the plans are due to changes in the bidding process, as the project had been initiated back in 2012 and there have been changes in the geographic condition of the construction areas,” he said.

“Also, on the routes that run through such facilities as irrigation canals, the height of bridges would need to be increased and therefore require a corresponding budget.”

Sarawut added that the department had estimated the cost of construction of the M6 Motorway at Bt70 billion, while the price offered by the bidder was Bt60 billion.

“We estimate that the plan adjustment would require an additional Bt6.8 billion from the Bt10 billion that we have left,” he said.

“The updated plan should be finished within this month, and after it is approved by the Minister of Transport it would be proposed to the Cabinet by January next year.”

The Bangpa-In – Nakhon Ratchasima Motorway will start the test run period around the end of 2022. Currently, 92 per cent of construction has been completed.

The O&M project will be handled by bid winner BGSR Consortium, which consists of BTS Group Holding, Gulf Energy Development, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction and Ratch Group, for 30 years after it opens for public use.

BGSR offered Bt21.3 billion, lower than the estimated Bt33.25 billion cost of the O&M project.

Construction of the Bangyai-Kanchanaburi Motorway is now 40 per cent complete. BGSR is also the bid winner for the O&M project.

It is expected to open for public use within 2023.